George



GEORGE BLaNenAnn, or BALTIMORE, MAEELANE.

| Cettcrs Patent No. 81,468, dated-August 25,1868.

IMPROVED RAILWAY STOCK-GAR:

' @its 51352D1112 referrer tu in ligen tetters ,atnit mit mating partit tirarme.

.TO ALL WHOM YIT MAY'CONERN: v t

- Be it known that I, GEOIKGE R. BLANCHARD, of Baltimore, inthe county of Baltimore, and State of Maryland, have invented a new arid useful Improved Stock0ar for Railroads and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the sam'e, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making v part of this specification.

' My invention relates to that class ot` ears familiarly known to railroad-men as double-deck stoek-cars, but which are readily convertible into single-deck cars, for the purpose of adapting them to the transportation of ordinary kinds of freight. v v A It has long been a desiddratum with the proprietors of railroads to procure a car, which should possess al1- the characteristic advantageslot a.doubledeck` ear, for the transportation of the smaller kinds of animals,

such as hogs, sheep, calves, &c.,"and, at the same time, be readily eonvertilile into a .single-deck car, for the `transportation of ordnarylrinds of freight, and which should at the same time jpossess all the advantages of -that--kind of ea-rr- Y y It will be apparent, that when the upper deck is permanently attachedl to the'framework of the car, occu-V pying, as it does, a position about midway ofthe car, its usefulness for the transportation of the larger kinds ,of animals, and for other kinds of freight, is seriously impaired, if not entirely destroyed. On the otherhand, the advantages of a car having the features above named will be readily apparent, as it may be loaded at any'point on the line, with any freight usually carried in such cars, and taken to any otherpoint, where it may be readily transfermcd-` into a car for the reception and transportation of. animals of the 'kind -ahorenamed, orv for any other purpose to which it may be adapted when thus arranged. i

i V'lhe production of a car possessing the aboreenumerate( advantages is the object of` my invention, which consists in a divided platform or upper deck of a car, divided at or near its centre longitudinally; the sections being hinged or otherwise fastened to the sides of the car, in su'eha manner that, when not in use as a deck, they each swing or drop down upon its respective side of the'car, thus leaving the car in conditionto receive any kind of freight with which it 'may be desirable to load it. A

The invention further consists in providing a section of the deck, which is separated from the swinging 'pfortionsp'for aispaceequa-l to thewidth of 4the car'abov'c, which is so constructed that it may be removed from its position, or replaced therein independent Aof said swinging portions. l p l The inveutionvfurther consists in recesses,- formed upon or near the roof ofthe car, forA the reception ofthe section of the deck, which occupies the central position, or the 4'space exposed by opening the doors `of the car.

Theinvention further consists in the-arrangement of the devices for holding said deck in position when in usc. j I

In the annexed drawings;- Figure 1 shows a side elevation of a stock-car. I Figure 2 shows an end view of the same, with'onescctionof the swinging deck in position, while the 'oppo-v site Y'section is shown as dropped down by the side ofthe car. 'Figure Sshows a side elevation of the rest' or support for theendsof the beams, upon which the deck restswhen in position, togetherwvith an end view of such beam. v

Figure 4 shows a modification ofthe rest or support above referred to. Similar let-ters denote corresponding parts in the'several [igures. A denotes the wheels, B the axle, C C C the bottom and sides, D the roof, end li the door of a stock -car, il whicln'being of ordinaryconstrnction, and well known,nccd not be particularly described here.

l A1 is a section of` the swinging deck orl platform in position, which is constructed of any kind of material of suiiicient strength to support' the weight which may be placedupon it, and which extends from the end of the car to the door ofthe same.A v l i i A2 is the fellowfs-ection of'Al, andiis of the same dimensions and construction, butis hinged to the opposite I side of the ear, and is shown in its lowered position.

When the section A2 is raised, and thc'beam B2 is passed through, so that its advanced end'will rest in the support C2, on' the side of thc car opposite to the one on which it was entered, and the remaining beam, which may be necessary to tho adequate support of this section of thcdeck, are in plane, that4 portion of the deck whichextends from the door to either end of the caris in position and ready for usc.

I have described only one-half ofthe swinging portion of thc deck, but, as thc opposite half is inall respects identical, thc description need not be repeated.

i32 is one of the beams or supports ofthe deck, heretofore referred to, which' is a timber of such depth and thickness as will sustain tho deck and its load, say three inches in thickness by four inches in depth, which finds its bearings or supports in iron rests `or sockets, fastened to the framework of the car, where it is held by a pin or bolt, which passes through the end thereof, and through the rest or socket. v i

.GZ is thc socket or rest, abovc described, and is clearly shown in figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings, and also in iig. 1, where it appears in position.

,D2 is that portion' of the deck which occupies the space opposite to and between the'doors of the ear. It is I constructed in the form of a platform, the planks of which it is composed being held together by cleats, and its length being such that it will extend from the centre of one of the beams B2 one side of the door to the centre of the one on 'theopposite side, at which points the swinging platform terminates.

E2 are receptacles for that portion of the deck which fills the space opposite the doors of the car when in position, which are formed in or near thc roofof thc car, by attaching cleats thereto, which cleats have rabbets c ut upon their upper edges, leaving their lowerportions to project `a distance sufficient to receive the deck B2, which, when not in use, may be raised and slid into the' position of the dotted red lincs shown in iig. 1.

It is evident that variousother plans may be adapted for receiving this portion of'the deck in position when not in use, such as passing screwbolts through it and into nuts inserted in the roof of the car, or they may bc held in position by hooks entering into staples driven into the under sidcsvof thc deck', the hooks being screwed to the roof of'the car. Of the variouspplans named, however, I prefer vthe former as being more convenient, and as affording the greatest facility for the speedy changing of this section of 'the deck from one position to the other. A I

It will be obvious that this section of the deck may, if desired, be carried, when not in use, in the receptacle under thc 'central part of the car, where it is. shown as being deposited lby red dotted lines. ,l

I have described the swinging portions ofthe platform as swinging downward from their point of suspension or attachment to the sides Vof the carfbut the dotted lines in tig. 2 will show how they may, if desired', be swung up against the upper part of the car; but this, I think, will hardly be found desirable, as it would' necessitate the cleaning of the deck before it could be swung in that direction, Whilst thevvery act of dropping them downward-secures the removall of any substance-which may -rest upon them while they remain in their elevated position. i i i r i I contemplate so constructing a car of this description that the swinging portion of the upper deck,

' when swung or dropped down by the side of'the car, shall constitute a. portion of the siding, or what is termed a box-car," the remaining portion, necessapy to completo the closing up of the side of the car, (with the exception of the space'occupied by the door,) being secured to the framework, and the whole so arranged that, when not in use as' a stock-car, the same may be used for the transportation of such kinds of freight as are required to be carefully protected from injury by water, or from any other cause, which result may be accomplished by allowing that portion of the siding or covering of the car which is permauentiy attached to extend downward l from the top only so far as to mcctand form a joint withthe swinging portion when dropped into its vertical position, and by providing a closed sliding door, to be used in place' of the-door of open construction, necessary when transporting animals.

It will be seen that that portion of siding which I have described as permanently attached to the sides of v the car may, if desired, be constructedV in the form of a swinging door, and be swung upward and fastened to the roofof the car. v

I am aware that cars. having a platform arranged upon rods, andso as to ,be raised, from a position about midway of the car, vertically, to a position near the roof of the same, have been the subject of patents. These I do not claim; but, having fully described my invention, and in what it consists,

That I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Pateutfis- 1. A car, for the transportation ofanimals and other kinds of freight upon railroads, convertible from a double to a single-deck or platform car, and vice versa, by means of a swinging or dropping dock or platform, attached to the sides of said car, substantially :is shown and described.

i 2. The removable section Di, which occupies the central position between' the sections A A2 Al A2, substantiaily as shown and described. I l

3. The arrangement of devices, substantially such as are shown and described, for receiving and carrying the central portion of the deck when not in position for usci l 4. The arrangement ofthe beams, and-their rests or supports, with referencetothe platforms or sections of the upper deck and the framework ofthe car, substantiailly as shown and described. A l

In testimony whereof, I have signedmy nameto this pacification in the presence of two subscribing witnessest G. n. BLANCHARD. g

Witnesses: WM. H. Jonas, Jenn SMILEY. 

